Politicians are always in the limelight – or firing line – depending on your view. It’s not a job for the faint hearted with constant scrutiny and comment by media and public. Do you realise you may also be under scrutiny?
And that is what many people are afraid of. Putting yourself “in the spotlight” feels uncomfortable, often because of what others think about us. However, if you are building a business or career, you don’t have to be “showy” – it’s about stepping up and communicating the value you bring to others.
You can be intentional about how you are seen whether that is in person or online.
Your posts, comments, virtual presence and social media profile are the often first impression a person makes about you. And the best way to check your online presence is to google yourself and ask Chat GPT. Did you just do that? What comes up?
When people meet you for the first time you may appear to not be the same as what they think from viewing you online. They will most likely believe the online version. For better or for worse.
Some people paint an unrealistic image of who they really are with carefully crafted social personas. Others don’t give it much thought and perhaps an unwanted presence is displayed. If you think about it, when someone googles you, they are evaluating you.
You need to align your real-world brand with your virtual brand. The first thing you need to consider is, what is it about you or your personal or business brand that you want to say? This is your opportunity to have your online presence reflect who you are; your values, beliefs, ambitions and the business culture you are in.
No doubt you have done some online research about another person before a meeting or going for a job interview. Of course, they are doing the same to you. They may want to hire you for a project, join their board, be on a panel session, or give a speech.
They will look at your LinkedIn page, check out your website if you have one, search AI and look to see what you are posting on Facebook and Instagram.
When I was going for a corporate account a while ago, I googled everything about the CEO such as images and news stories, so I could find out about the person. Not just what was on the company website and company profile, but I did the background research about who that person was.
I also wanted a visual image in my mind – so it felt familiar – not just going into a meeting cold. Some of the character of that person came through and I felt a bit more relaxed and gained further insight into whether I could or wanted to work with this person.
Not everyone has a strong digital footprint, but it is good to be aware of what is out there. It is important to check what others are posting about you, check photos and tags and always approve posts before they appear randomly online.
You are in control and can of course choose how “social” you choose to be. Anything you post on social media reflects your brand image. You want to share your personality but the positive side of you – unless contrarian or rebel is part of your personal brand.
For most professionals working in a business environment and for emerging and established business leaders, LinkedIn is the “go to” social media channel of choice. Your LinkedIn profile is where the professional you is showcased.
The first impression you make needs to be positive and a professional head shot is a major requirement. If someone sends me a LinkedIn invitation and they don’t have a photo – I ignore it. Likewise, a picture of a person on a promo stand sandwiched between two bikini models is most unlikely to get any attention from me. Not that I have anything against bikini models, I was once one myself!
I encourage the use of social media to showcase the person behind the executive role or business. Just keep it on point, on brand and professional.
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Sue Currie is an image entrepreneur who guides and empowers business leaders and entrepreneurs to have “Spotlight Confidence”. She is passionate about helping professionals elevate their personal and professional brand through her speaking, coaching and training programs on Self Brand, Style and Speaking Skills, providing a multi-faceted approach to gain high transformation for her clients.
